The Iron Dragon Never Sleeps by Stephen Krensky

Author:Stephen Krensky [Krensky, Stephen]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-0-307-81596-5
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2012-02-07T16:00:00+00:00

“Three years. It is where I learned English. When the mine closed, we had to leave.”

“Aren’t you young to work for the railroad?” asked Winnie.

“They do not look at us too closely,” said Lee. “And they were happy I spoke English. Tom is older. He works with miners.”

“So does my father,” said Winnie. “Maybe they know each other.”

Lee shrugged. “There is little time for meeting,” he said.

“My father’s sitting over there,” said Winnie. She pointed toward the water. “With my mother. Would you like to meet them? You could have some pie.”

Lee looked uncomfortable. “I like pie. But I do not think so. Things are happening …”

“Things?” Winnie frowned. “What things?” Suddenly she remembered the two men she had overheard in town.

“Many workers are not happy. We work hard, as hard as anyone. But we are not treated the same.”

Winnie thought about the storekeeper and Jane and Johnny. She didn’t know what to say.

“Some voices,” said Lee, “speak of working no more. They are angry voices.”

“What do you think?” Winnie asked.

“I do not decide yet,” said Lee. He gave her back the kite string. “Maybe I say too much. It is getting late. Good-bye, Winnie Tucker.”

He turned and ran away.

Winnie pulled in the kite and walked slowly back to her parents.

“Who was that, Winnie?” her father asked. “Chinese, wasn’t he?”

“Yes, Papa. That was Lee, the Celestial I’ve met before.”

“Lee seems to know about kites,” said her mother.

Winnie nodded. “He knows a lot. He used to work for a miner—after his parents died. That’s how he learned English.” She paused for breath. “And, Papa, remember what I told you about those men in town? When I asked Lee about it, he got nervous. I think the Celestials are angry.”

Her father sighed. “That may well be. But sometimes you can’t go looking for trouble. You have to wait for it to hit you over the head. Come on now. Let’s clean up. And then we’ll take that boat ride I promised.”

Winnie enjoyed rowing on the lake. She made ripples in the water with her hand and splashed her father with an oar. But her attention also wandered. What kind of trouble could be coming? And when? Maybe she couldn’t do anything about it, but she kept thinking about Lee and the angry voices.

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